December 09, 2009

Quinn signs campaign finance reform into law one year after Blagojevich arrested

Choosing the symbolic date of the one-year anniversary of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on federal corruption charges, Gov. Pat Quinn today signed into law the state's first-ever limits on campaign contributions.

"I think that last year at this very day was an alarm bell, as I
said at the time, to the people of Illinois that there were serious,
serious problems in our state government," Quinn said. "I think that
did move everyone in our state, both in office and those who are the
voters, to work together to get a lot of laws passed, a lot of reforms
that frankly would not have passed a year ago at this time."

The idea behind the law is to limit the influence of money in politics in the wake of Blagojevich, who stands accused of trying to trade state
actions in return for campaign contributions and benefits for himself
and his family. Among the charges, prosecutors say Blagojevich tried to sell the U.S. Senate once held by President Barack Obama.

Here's what the law does: Individual donors are limited to giving $5,000
each for the primary and general elections. Corporations and unions are limited to $10,000 an election and political action committees
could not donate more than $50,000 per election.

Here's what it doesn't do: Cut back the power of the four legislative leaders or take effect until after the 2010 elections.

"When we enact a reform like today, it is not the end but the beginning," Quinn said.

Reform groups who flanked Quinn today at the bill signing ceremony at the Thomspon Center didn't get everything they said was necessary to clean up Illinois politics. But reform groups said they had to sign on to this version of ethics reform lest they blow a chance to take advantage of momentum on the long-stalled issue.

Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said the "long, long overdue reform" took more than 30 years to enact. She called the new law "a significant victory for Illinois voters," and said it will "help promote public confidence in government and help reduce the influence wielded by big campaign contributors."

Quinn acknowledged Tuesday to the Tribune that the campaign reform measure is “not perfect,” but said it’s a crucial first step.

Quinn’s
signature marks the end of a nearly year-long battle following
Blagojevich’s arrest, impeachment, ouster and indictment to limit the amount of money that flows into
elections. Quinn vetoed an earlier version of the bill this summer
after public push-back from reform groups, who have signed on in
support of the latest measure in an effort to put some form of limits
on the books.

Powerful Chicago Democrats House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President
John Cullerton --- along with Republican leaders Sen. Christine Radogno
of Lemont and Rep. Tom Cross of Oswego --- still will be allowed to spend
unlimited sums of money from their special leadership campaign accounts
on individual legislators or highly competitive general election races.

In
primary races, the law restricts legislative and party leaders to
giving a combined $200,000 to statewide candidates, $125,000 to a state
Senate candidate, and $75,000 to a state House candidate. That total
includes direct cash donations as well as in-kind donations such as the
value of printing, postage and staff time.

The previous proposed legislation put a $90,000-a-year
cap on direct money donations from political parties and legislative
leaders, but reformers said loopholes rendered the limit meaningless.

Peter Bensinger, co-chair of CHANGE Illinois!, a coalition of groups
that led efforts to enact limits, said they will push to enact limits
on leaders in general elections during the spring legislative session.

Quinn said he will support the effort, but dismissed questions about why he didn't insist on that provision this time around.

"You can speculate and say why not this or why not that, but I think
overall this bill that I signed today into law is forward progress for
the Land of Lincoln, and it's time to move forward, not to run in
place."

Madigan and Cullerton were each invited to the ceremony but did not attend.

Comments

"Powerful Chicago Democrats House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton --- along with Republican leaders Sen. Christine Radogno of Lemont and Rep. Tom Cross of Oswego --- still will be allowed to spend unlimited sums of money from their special leadership campaign accounts on individual legislators or highly competitive general election races."
This is reform?
Do we look that stupid?

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

Past posts

Clout has a special meaning in Chicago, where it can be a noun, a verb or an adjective. This exercise of political influence in a uniquely Chicago style was chronicled in the Tribune cartoon "Clout Street" in the early 1980s. Clout Street, the blog, offers an inside look at the politics practiced from Chicago's City Hall to the Statehouse in Springfield, through the eyes of the Tribune's political and government reporters.